The Joffrey Ballet : Robert Joffrey and the making of an American dance company

When Robert Joffrey, the son of a Muslim Afghani, founded the Joffrey Ballet in 1956 with Gerald Arpino, he exploded the boundaries of classical ballet. The company made ballets about beatniks, erotic multimedia goddesses, sea nymphs, clowns, slackers, radicals and jocks, thrilling audiences as much as it often outraged critics. The Joffrey Ballet, acclaimed as a groundbreaking book when it was published, tells a story that was kept largely hidden from public view for many years. It also provides a provocative look through the rear view mirror at thirty years of social upheaval in America. The Joffrey Ballet began in mid-century ebullience, a troupe of six dancers driving cross-country in a station wagon; in the ensuing years they performed behind the Iron Curtain, made the cover of Time magazine, became hippies and ascetics, and lost colleagues to the Vietnam War and AIDS. Dance critic Sasha Anawalt, director of Annenberg Arts Journalism Programs at USC weaves a meticulously researched cultural biography that the New York Times called "A milestone in dance writing." The 2011 film "Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance" continues the story through rare footage and is available on DVD through Hybrid Cinema Robert Joffrey Was Born And Raised In Seattle, The Son Of Immigrants Who Had Arrived On The West Coast In Pursuit Of The American Dream. From An Early Age He Was A Natural Performer, Inventing Tap Dance Routines In The Manner Of His Idol, Fred Astaire, And Playing The Tambourine In His Parents' Restaurant. He Came To Ballet As An Eleven Year Old, Learning Basic Techniques From A Russian. It Was In The Hands Of Idiosyncratic Teacher Mary Ann Wells That Joffrey Flourished. As A Young Adult, He Moved To New York City With His Partner, Gerald Arpino, With The Clear Purpose Of Founding His Own Dance Company, One That Drew Inspiration Equally From Nijinsky And Martha Graham. Joffrey Quickly Built A Thriving Company And A Distinguished Dance School. Early On, Though, The Joffrey Was Better Known In The Heartland, Where The Company's Nucleus Traveled From Town To Town, Performing In Old Movie Houses And High School Auditoriums. In The 1960s The Company Grew To Prominence Nationally, Dancing For President Kennedy And Touring The World. Joffrey Was Profoundly Influenced By That Decade's Counterculture, And The Company Became Famous For Its Rock Ballets Such As Astarte. Although Joffrey Died Of Aids In 1988 The Company Continues To Produce Some Of Our Most Imaginative And Memorable Dance. The Chili Recipe -- Finding Ballet -- Gerald Arpino -- Coming-of-age -- New York, New York -- Dancer To Choreographer -- In Good Company -- Adversity -- Six Dancers And A Station Wagon -- Quarrying The Repertoire -- The Models -- Rebekah Harkness Kean -- Ambassadors -- Treachery At Watch Hill -- President Kennedy And The Ussr -- The Split -- The Nation's Closet -- City Center Joffrey Ballet -- Image -- The Green Table -- Astarte -- The Dance Spirit -- Crossing Over -- Muses -- The Ashes -- Los Angeles -- Sacrifices -- The Nutcracker. Sasha Anawalt. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Robert Joffrey was born and raised in Seattle, the son of immigrants who had arrived on the West Coast in pursuit of the American Dream. From an early age he was a natural performer, inventing tap dance routines in the manner of his idol, Fred Astaire, and playing the tambourine in his parents' restaurant. He came to ballet as an eleven year old, learning basic techniques from a Russian. It was in the hands of idiosyncratic teacher Mary Ann Wells that Joffrey flourished. As a young adult, he moved to New York city with his partner, Gerald Arpino, with the clear purpose of founding his own dance company, one that drew inspiration equally from Nijinsky and Martha Graham. Joffrey quickly built a thriving company and a distinguished dance school. . Early on, though, the Joffrey was better known in the heartland, where the company's nucleus traveled from town to town, performing in old movie houses and high school auditoriums. In the 1960s the company grew to prominence nationally, dancing for President Kennedy and touring the world. Joffrey was profoundly influenced by that decade's counterculture, and the company became famous for us "rock" ballets such as Astarte. Although Joffrey died of AIDS in 1988 the company continues to produce some of our most imaginative and memorable dance. When Robert Joffrey, the son of a Muslim Afghani, founded the Joffrey Ballet in 1956 with Gerald Arpino, he exploded the boundaries of classical ballet. The company made ballets about beatniks, erotic multimedia goddesses, sea nymphs, clowns, slackers, radicals and jocks, thrilling audiences as much as it often outraged critics. The Joffrey Ballet, acclaimed as a groundbreaking book when it was published, tells a story that was kept largely hidden from public view for many years. It also provides a provocative look through the rear view mirror at thirty years of social upheaval in America. The Joffrey Ballet began in mid-century ebullience, a troupe of six dancers driving cross-country in a station wagon; in the ensuing years they performed behind the Iron Curtain, made the cover of Time magazine, became hippies and ascetics, and lost colleagues to the Vietnam War and AIDS. Dance critic Sasha Anawalt, director of Annenberg Arts Journalism Programs at USC weaves a meticulously... chicago,dance,ballet,history of ballet,classical dance,history of dance,the joffrey ballet,ballet company Let's look at a ballet, a Joffrey ballet, one of the few he choreographed in his lifetime and probably the ballet that is most closely associated in the popular mind with the company: Astarte.